A wary US watches Trump in criminal court, hoping for justice

Former U.S. President Donald Trump appears in court with his legal team for an arraignment on charges stemming from his indictment by a Manhattan grand jury following a probe into hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, in New York City, U.S., April 4, 2023. REUTERS/Steven Hirsch/Pool

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Former U.S. President Donald Trump's surrender on criminal charges Tuesday was marked by clashes between his fans and foes outside a downtown Manhattan courtroom, and a now-familiar cycle of name-calling and outrage from lawmakers and Trump himself.

But many Americans who say they are watching this case and other Trump investigations play out aren't looking for political point-scoring - they're holding out hope that the U.S. democracy delivers justice.